Using Thunderbird's Offline Mode

Thunderbird's offline functionality was restored in Thunderbird
1.0.2. (In earlier versions you had to download and install an extension
to use offline mode). If you would like to use offline mode and
you are using an earlier version of Thunderbird, please download
the latest version here.

If you are in an area without Internet access and need access to
your mail, what should you do? Use Offline Mode! If you tell Mozilla
Thunderbird to make your IMAP account inbox available offline, all
messages will automatically be downloaded to your computer and you
can read them or write replies without being connected. Then whenever
you are able to connect back up to the Internet, you can do a "send
and receive". Using Thunderbird in offline mode with IMAP is
a good alternative to POP.

If you want to keep your emails available on your computer when
you are offline, follow these instructions:

1. From Thunderbird, click Tools, then Account Settings.

2. Select Offline & Disk Space.

If you only want access to messages in your INBOX,
then check the box next to "Make the messages in my Inbox
available when I am working offline". If you want other folders
available for offline use, click on the "Select folders for
offline use... " button and select the folders that you wish
that store offline.

To go offline:

Select File | Offline | Download/Sync Now... from the menu.

Make sure Mail messages is selected under Download and/or sync
the following:
* Also check Work offline once download
and/or sync is complete.
* Click OK.

Indicating you are now in offline mode, the icon in the bottom
left side of your Thunderbird window looks like this:

To go back online:

Click the online/offline icon in the lower right corner of
the Mozilla Thunderbird window. Or, select File | Offline | Work
Offline from the menu.

Indicating you are now working online, the icon in the bottom
left side of your Thunderbird window looks like this: